Toxic plastics exposure: Why semen quality is declining and modern men are less fertile than their grandfathers
Avoid plastic packaging – opt for products packaged in glass, metal or paper instead of plastic. This can significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste that potentially breaks down into microplastics. At home, use wax paper, parchment paper or paper bags to store foods rather than plastic wrap.
Going back to the roots: Senegalese ditching French for Wolof as ‘language nationalism’ sweep west Africa
There are 25 languages in Senegal. Six of them have the status of national languages, but Wolof is largely dominant. Out of the population of 17 million people, over 12 million speak Wolof, compared to around 4 million French speakers.
Ethiopia’s search for outlet to Indian Ocean via Somaliland meets with stiff resistance from Somalia, Egypt
Somali military officers march in a parade in Mogadishu.
How US agrochemical lobby forces Kenyans to consume pesticides that cause cancers, birth defects and disrupt nervous systems
Pesticide companies claim their products are safe if properly handled, but the reality at the field level is that farmers are extremely vulnerable. They often don’t have basic protective gear like masks and gloves, are unlikely to have had proper training on applying the chemicals, and the printed instructions on the products are rarely in a language commonly spoken in the area.
UN ‘sex mission’ in eastern Congo leaving behind a MONUSCO ‘clan’ of children without fathers
Dalmas Nzingene, a youth leader from Mbau who lost several relatives in ADF attacks, said peacekeepers don’t follow the recommendations given to them by local communities. Nzingene said he participated in regular community meetings with peacekeepers but felt they were more interested in excusing their failures than taking on advice and seeking to improve.
Unwanted Monusco: In Congo’s Beni region, departing UN peacekeepers branded ‘mission to watch civilians killed’
Known by its acronym MONUSCO, the peacekeeping mission in DRC is supposed to complete a withdrawal from the country in the coming months, yanking out thousands of troops after a 25-year deployment that is the longest and costliest in UN history.
Raging mpox denies sex workers in Congo of income as government insists it’s their duty to protect themselves
Kamituga Mayor Alexandre Bundya M’pila says the government is creating awareness campaigns but lacks money to reach everyone. He also said sex workers should look for other jobs, without providing examples of what might be available.
Devils on the cross: After drab start to new season, focus now falls on Ten Hag’s capacity to bring sunlight to dull Man United
More than once, the ball dribbled out into touch from the boot of a United player trying to get a move going. Those that did find a red shirt were often off target. In one counter-attack before the interval, Joshua Zirkzee laid off to Marcus Rashford but put the ball behind his run. All Rashford could do was pivot and slam a return pass into a Spurs defender. He showed his frustration by flapping his arms.
Revealed: Poor diets are killing more people than smoking or alcohol, yet doctors get almost no training in nutrition
Even though evidence suggests that nutrition education can be effective, there are many reasons why it’s lacking. Medical students and physicians are some of the busiest people in society. The amount of information taught in medical curricula is often described as overwhelming – like drinking out of a firehose.
Fade out: Country music songwriter, singer and actor Kris Kristofferson goes silent forever at 88
Kris Kristofferson, who could recite William Blake from memory, wove intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and tender romance into popular country music. With his long hair and bell-bottomed slacks and counterculture songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new breed of country songwriters along with such peers as Willie Nelson, John Prine and Tom T. Hall.
